Knowledge is power when it comes to managing plant species in your paddocks.
Farmers considering using ryegrass alternatives on their paddock sward need to understand the different roles these species can play in a pasture mix.
That means farmers need to take a bit of personal responsibility to learn about these species so they can make a more informed decision, Agricom’s Allister Moorhead told farmers at the Smaller Milk and Supply Herds conference near Lake Karapiro.
Knowing that information can be empowering for the farmer, he says.
Species such as cocksfoot, prairie grass, tall fescue and brooms are used throughout New Zealand and in many cases are the right species for that space.
“All of these species have a position and a place,” Moorhead says.
“There is a diversity of options. What I implore you to do is know your plants because knowing your plants helps build expectations and your expectations will be met by knowing what you are doing.”
Outside of ryegrass, other species have not been a traditional go-to option for the dairy industry.
He says this is because ryegrass had been so simplistic and easy for farmers that it was the last thing they would want to move away from.
A 2015 report by the NZIER showed that the value of this plant species to the NZ economy was around $14 billion.
“Perennial ryegrass – I can’t emphasise enough – it is big, it is massive. Some of you see it as being imperfect now, but the reality is there is nothing as good as perennial ryegrass in the whole world to base a cow outdoor feeding system on. It is a magnificent grass species.”
This grass, however, copped a hiding when it did not meet those high expectations. This was particularly the case in the upper North Island where the pastures were no longer lasting.
White clover, which was essential for milk production and fixing nitrogen was valued around $2 billion.
In contrast, brassica crops’ contribution was around $200 million and Lucerne, chicory and plantain crops also contributed $42-$45m.
While Moorhead believed these are underestimated, it still put the scale of ryegrass’s contribution into perspective.
“Look at the scale. There is no way that even the increase we have seen in chicory or lucerne could compare to the economic return of ryegrass for this country,” he says.
There were several different types of ryegrass ranging from perennials, long and short-lived hybrids, annuals and bi-annuals.
Cocksfoot, for example, was capable of great dry matter production in conditions that are not ideal for ryegrass. Its downside was it took a long time to establish.
“If you are not ready for that, it’s going to be a shock to your system,” he says.
Discussions around diversity in pastures and regenerative farming associated with that had pushed these conversations beyond just above the ground to the animal.
It had made more people realise the soil and the roots played a huge role in understanding why some plants may not be working to their potential.
Moorhead says ryegrass, for example, may not be growing properly if the ground was compacted.
“It’s pretty hard to deny that if the ground feels like concrete under this much topsoil that it is having an interaction with what might be happening with your plant in dry conditions,” he says.
“Probably this discussion around diversity, around regenerative agriculture has got us back to a discussion where we are prepared to take the time and scratch the surface and look at stuff we probably should have been always looking at.”
